I’m blessed with a number of genuinely wonderful people in my life. With family spread out further apart, and the issues surrounding people with whom you share genetics but not necessarily interests and ethos with, friends are the people you come to count on. My chosen family.

Recently I’ve needed my friends. I’ve been emotional, self indulgent and somewhat whiny. Regardless my friends have surrounded me, covered me with a fluffy, shiny blanket of caring, and reminded me why I’m worthy of love. This at a time when I’ve struggled to see it for myself.  Through my friends eyes I have seen why, despite some very real flaws, I am beautiful. I also see how beautiful they all are, and how in most people can be found something worth stopping to find out about.

Friendship can sometimes seem self indulgent. Time spent sitting around, putting the world to rights over a nice meal with a group of friends is time in which I’m not being productive, blogging, cleaning, ticking off jobs on the todo list. I’ve come to realise though that love, caring and friendship are essential for me, a part of what it is to be alive, rather than just living. So time invested in those bonds is absolutely time well spent. I reckon that when I’m old and grey I’ll remember the times with my friends much more than I’ll care that my house wasn’t immaculate, and I didn’t master the art of the perfect cupcake.

So I’m writing this post for my friends, to say a great big thank you. Some virtual hugs all round (on account of my inability to hug people in real life) are due to you. You know who you are, you’ve been solid, and I am so grateful for you. Thank you for seeing there is more to me than the idiot I’ve been parading in front of you recently. Thanking you for having no expectations on me, for understanding my situation. Thank you for calling, texting, turning up on my doorstep because you were worried. Thank you for bringing me my favourite sweets. Thank you for making your homes somewhere I can just be. Finally thank you for being who you are, a collection of incredibly awesome, compassionate individuals. I’m lucky to have you and I will never forget it.